When Sri Ramakrishna was twenty three years old and was engaged in intense spiritual disciplines, his relatives at Kamarpukur, in the hope of diverting his mind to mundane affairs, got him married to a girl by name Sarada Devi who belonged to the neighbouring village of Jayrambati. Sarada Devi was born on 22 December 1853 as the first child of a pious couple, Ramachandra Mukherjee and Shyama Sundari Devi. The family was very poor and childhood Sarada helped her parents in various household chores and bringing up her younger brothers. She had no formal schooling and could hardly read.
At the age of eighteen she walked all the way, in the company of her father, to Dakshineshwar to meet her husband. Sri Ramakrishna received her with great love and taught her how to lead a spiritual life even while discharging her household duties. They lived absolutely pur lives, and Sarada Devi lived at Dakshineshwar as a virgin nun, serving Sri Ramkrishna as his wife and disciple. On his part Sri Ramakrishna, who worshipped God as the Diving Mother, looked upon Sarada Devi as a special manifestation of the Divine Mother. Once he ritualistically, worshipped her as the Divine Mother and thus awakened. Divine Motherhood in her.
When disciples began to gather around Sri Ramakrishna, Sarada Devi learned to look upon them as her own children. After the Master’s passing away, she became unifying center for his disciples and was adored by them as Holy Mother. In due course, she herself became a great teacher, and disciples began to gather around her.
At the age of eighteen she walked all the way, in the company of her father, to Dakshineshwar to meet her husband. Sri Ramakrishna received her with great love and taught her how to lead a spiritual life even while discharging her household duties. They lived absolutely pur lives, and Sarada Devi lived at Dakshineshwar as a virgin nun, serving Sri Ramkrishna as his wife and disciple. On his part Sri Ramakrishna, who worshipped God as the Diving Mother, looked upon Sarada Devi as a special manifestation of the Divine Mother. Once he ritualistically, worshipped her as the Divine Mother and thus awakened. Divine Motherhood in her.
When disciples began to gather around Sri Ramakrishna, Sarada Devi learned to look upon them as her own children. After the Master’s passing away, she became unifying center for his disciples and was adored by them as Holy Mother. In due course, she herself became a great teacher, and disciples began to gather around her.
Her mother heart expanded to enfold them all in the luminous consiousness of universal motherhood. In the whole history of humanity. This was the first time that an unlettered village maiden decided to look upon all people in the world as her children, and came to be adored as the ‘Mother of All’.
Owing to her immediate purity, extraordinary forbearance, selfless service, unconditional love, wisdom and spiritual illumination, Swami Vivekananda regarded Sri Sarda Devi as the ideal for women in the modern age. Swamiji had the historical insight to know that neglect of women for centuries was one of the main cause of India’s downfall (another cause bring neglect of the masses). He believed that with the advent of Holy Mother the spiritual awakening of women in modern times had begun, and this would have far-reaching consequences for the future elevation of humanity.
The Holy Mother spent her life partly in the village Jayrambati and partly in Kolkata where the disciples of Sri Ramakrishna provided her a home. In both the places she personally attended to household duties till the end of her life. She left the mortal world on 21 July 1920. Swamiji wanted to start an independent monastic order women on the same lines as Ramakrishna Math with Holy Mother as its center. His wish could be fulfilled only in 1953, during the Birth Centenary of Holy Mother, when seven women were given the primary vows of Brahmacharya at Belur Math. In 1959 eight novices were given the final ordination of Sannyasa, and a new monastic order for women, known as Sri Sarada Math, was started near the Kali Temple at Dakshineshwar. It was separated totally from Ramakrishna Math, was started near the Kali Temple at Dakshineshwar. It was separated totally from Ramakrishna Math, in 1959 and has since then being furnctioning independently. Its twin organisation named Ramakrishna Sarada Mission was founded in 1960. These two institutions for women also run schools, hospitals and other service institutions on the lines of Ramakrishna Math and Mission.
Owing to her immediate purity, extraordinary forbearance, selfless service, unconditional love, wisdom and spiritual illumination, Swami Vivekananda regarded Sri Sarda Devi as the ideal for women in the modern age. Swamiji had the historical insight to know that neglect of women for centuries was one of the main cause of India’s downfall (another cause bring neglect of the masses). He believed that with the advent of Holy Mother the spiritual awakening of women in modern times had begun, and this would have far-reaching consequences for the future elevation of humanity.
The Holy Mother spent her life partly in the village Jayrambati and partly in Kolkata where the disciples of Sri Ramakrishna provided her a home. In both the places she personally attended to household duties till the end of her life. She left the mortal world on 21 July 1920. Swamiji wanted to start an independent monastic order women on the same lines as Ramakrishna Math with Holy Mother as its center. His wish could be fulfilled only in 1953, during the Birth Centenary of Holy Mother, when seven women were given the primary vows of Brahmacharya at Belur Math. In 1959 eight novices were given the final ordination of Sannyasa, and a new monastic order for women, known as Sri Sarada Math, was started near the Kali Temple at Dakshineshwar. It was separated totally from Ramakrishna Math, was started near the Kali Temple at Dakshineshwar. It was separated totally from Ramakrishna Math, in 1959 and has since then being furnctioning independently. Its twin organisation named Ramakrishna Sarada Mission was founded in 1960. These two institutions for women also run schools, hospitals and other service institutions on the lines of Ramakrishna Math and Mission.
